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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. NOBLE.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 879,807. Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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(No Model.)

J. NOBLE. GAS ENGINE.

IN c Patented Mar.- 20, 1888.

N, PETERS. Fhnln-Lilhogmphur, Washington. D. C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

J. NOBLE. GAS ENGINE.

Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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joints.

lNITED STATES PATENT Orrrce.

" JAY NOBLE, on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,807, dated March20, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY NOBLE, of the city of St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inGas-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference beng had to the accompanying drawings, form- 1ngpart of this specification, and in which-- Figure l is aside view of theengine. Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the opposite ends. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section at 44, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section at 55, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a transverse section at 6 6, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is anelevation of the starting-pump, part in section. Fig. Sis an end viewwith part broken away, showing a governor applied to the engine. Fig. 9is a detail vertical section at 9 9, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a verticalsection at 10 10, Fig. 9.

The bed-plate A, frame B, cylinders O C C C, bottom plate, D, and endplates, E E, are cast, preferably, in one piece. The side plates, F, andtop plates, G, are attached to the bottom and end plates by water tightSurrounding the cylinders and within the bottom, top, side, and endplates is a chamber, H, through which water passes to keep the cylinderscool. The induction-opening is shown at I and the eduction-opening at J.The course of the water through the chamber H may, however, be in anydirection. The cylinders are open at one end and at the other end haveinduction gas'ports K, leading from the valve-chambers L L.

H is the supply-pipe, (through which explosive gases enter,) havingbranches M, leading to the valves N of the chambers L. The chambers Lcommunicate with the ports of the valves N in chambers L throughpassages M 0 O are the pistons. The pistons O of the two lower cylindersare connected with the cranks Q of the shaft Q by rods P, with anextension-joint to allow the pistons to be adjusted in position in thecylinders to cause a greater or less degree of condensation in the gas,for the sole purpose of the piston O is to condense the gas to a certaindegree, which then passes into the cylinders G C", where it is stillfurther condensed prior to being ignited.

At R are shown exhaustports for the escape of the products of explosion.These ports are cranks T of the shaft T.

in connection with the cylinders O and G. The cylinders O and C have nosuch exhaustports, as the mingled gas and air is simply compressed inthese cylinders and passes out through the induction-ports K. Theconnecting-rodsS of the upper pistons may be made with anextension-jointin the same manner as the rods P, if desired, but are notshown with this construction. They connect with the The shafts T and Qcarry spur-wheels U, which are made fast to the shafts by keys orset-screws. At least one of these wheels I prefer to secure in such amanner upon the shaft that it may be slipped along the shaft out ofengagement with the other wheel, if desired, and turned the distance ofone or more teeth before re-engagement, so that the cranks Q upon shaftQ may be adjusted in position relatively to the cranks T upon shaft T,so as to give the lower pair of pistons more or less lead (if desired)over the upper pairof pistons. I prefer to have the two cranks which areupon the same shaft project in opposite directions from the shaft, sothat when one is at one extreme position the other shall be at the otherextreme. On the other hand,the relative positions of the cranks Qrelatively to the cranks Tis such that the gaschamber in the uppercylinders shall be filled with the partly-compressed gas whilethe pistonin the upper cylinder is in its rear position or nearly so. As soon asthe pressure of the gas in either of the cylinders O O exceeds thepressure in the supply-pipe M, the valve N closes, and on the pressurein cylinders G and 0 exceeding the pressure in cylinders O or C thevalve N between such cylinders opens and the gas passes through into theupper cylinders O or 0 Then, on the gas in the upper cylinder attaininga pressure greater than the pressure in the lower cylinder, with whichit is in connection, the valve N between them closes. The gas, onattaining its extreme condensation in the upper cylinder, is ignited byan electric spark by the following device:

V is an eccentric on the shaft T, which is surrounded by a yoke, V,secured to one end of a rod, V, whose other end is connected to apivoted insulated arm, NV, the latter being in electrical connectionwith one pole of a battery.

X is an insulated conductor connected with a conducting-rod, Y, whosepoint is within the battery to that with which the arm W. is con-vnected, so that when the arm \V touches the plate X an electric spark isproduced in the upper cylinder and the gas exploded. explosion takesplace in the other one of the upper cylinders by similar means,theinsulated plate X being in communication with one of the conducting-rodsin the latter cylinder and the other rod, Y, being in communication withthe pole of the electric battery opposite to that connected with the armWV. After the engine is started, the ordinary pressure of thehydrocarbon gas and atmospheric air will carry it into the engine tofill the partial vacuum caused by the explosions within the cylinders Cand 0 but to start the engine some outside force must be applied. Forthis purpose I provide an air-pump having one branch, at, incommunication with atmospheric air and another branch, I), incommunication with a supply of hydrocarbon gas. The air-branch has acock, 0, to regulate the amount of air entering.

d is a check-valve in the air-supply pipe, and e is a similarcheck-valve in the pipe by which the hydrocarbon gas enters the air-pumpchamber f.

g is a piston working in a cylinder, h.

i is the piston-rod, having upon it a handle, 1', or other means bywhich the piston may be Worked.

j is a check-valvein the supply-pipe M. On the ascent of the piston gthe hydrocarbon gas and air enter through the pipes 11 and a, thecheck-valves e and d opening. 011 the descent of the piston thecheck-valves e and (1 close and the valve j opens, and the mingled gasesenter the cylinders O, 0, G and O in the latter two of which they areexploded.

I will now describe the construction of the governor. The principle uponwhich the governor acts is the allowing of the return of a limitedquantity of the gaseous mixture from the upper cylinders, 0 0 back tothe pump when the speed exceeds a given point, the quantity so returningbeing proportioned to the speed.

k k are pipes leading from the chamber M to the branch pipes M, whichsupply the pumps. At the top of each pipe is is a valve, Z, working in achamber, m. These valves, when on their seats a, prevent the return ofany of the explosive mixture from the chambers M but when the valves areraised from their seats a quantity of the mixture will return before theexplosion takes place, leaving enough of the mixture in the cylinder 0or C to give the required pressurenpon the piston O. -In order to liftthese valves Z to the required height, the lower ends of the stems Z Therest upon wedge-formed parts 0 of the rod 0.

These wedges 0 work in bearings 19.

r is a ring or sleeve on the rod, bearing against collars s, so that itturns freely on the rod.

t is the governorpulley upon a shaft, 15, turning in a bearing, a, inwhich it has no endwise movement. I

v is the governor-arm, having end balls, 12, and pivoted at its middleto the shaft t by a pin, 1).

w is a link connecting sleeve r.

x is a spring extending from the shaft 15 to one of the balls, thespring tending to hold the ball near to the shaft, and thus to push thewedge-rod 0 to the left and allow the valves Z to close. When, however,the increased rotary speed of the governor throws the balls outward, thewedges 0 are drawn to the right and the valves 1 raised to allow more orless of the explosive mixture to return from the cylinder 0 or O to thebranch pipes M,which are in direct communication with and supply thepump by which the mixed gas and air is forcedinto the cylinders O and G.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a gas-engine, of fourpistons working in four cylinders connected together, substantially asand for the purpose set iorth, two shafts, each having crank-connectionwith two of the pistons, and spurwheels upon the crank-shafts, one ofwhich is made adjustable, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a gas-engine, a pair of explosion-cylthe arm 1) with the' inders,a piston situated in each of said cylinders, a pitman connected to eachof said pistons, a shaft, and cranks projecting in opposite directionstherefrom, to which said pitmen are connected, in combination with apair of compression-cylinders, a piston situated in each, a pitmanconnected to each of said pistons, a shaft, a pair of cranks projectingin opposite directions therefrom, to which said pitmen are connected,and intermeshing pinions secured to both of said crankshafts, wherebythey are caused to rotate in unison, the cranks on one of said shaftsbeing placed at an angle to those on the other, so that thecompressionpiston shall lead the working-piston, substantially as setforth.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination,with the explosion-cylinder, apiston fitted therein, a pump, a passage connecting said pump with theexplosive'cylinder, and a pipe for supplying said pump with gas, of apipe for placing the passage which forms communication between the pumpand explosive cylinder in communication with the pipe which supplies thepump with gas, a valve in said pipe, and a speed-governor havingconnection with said valve, whereby it is lifted from its seat to permitmore or less of the gas coming from the pump to return to thesupply-pipe, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gas'engine, the combination of the cylinder in which the gasesare exploded, a

pipe for conveying the gases thereto, a returnpassage communicating withsaid supply-pipe, a valve in the supply-pipe situated between thecylinder and the return-passage, a valve in said return-passage, a rodhaving a wedgeshaped portion upon which the stem of said valve bears,and a speed-governor having connection with said rod, substantially asset forth.

JAY NOBLE. In presence of-- SAML. KNIGHT, BENJN. A. KNIGHT.

